Julie'S Baked Chicken Korma & Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Main ingredients
3 cups cubed skinless chicken breasts or 3 cups skinless chicken thighs
2 cups uncooked white rice
Sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons smooth cashew butter, warmed in microwave to soften
1 cup half-and-half
1 (13 1/2 ounce) can coconut milk or 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 (14 1/4 ounce) cans chicken broth or 30 ounces homemade chicken broth
Spices
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
3 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon preferred)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground cardamom

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large saucepan saute the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms (if using) in butter and olive oil until onions are opaque.
Add spices and the remaining sauce ingredients except for one of the cans of broth (or half of your homemade); simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off heat and add cubed chicken; stir.
Put uncooked rice in the bottom a large lightly-oiled lasagne pan and carefully pour the chicken/sauce mixture over (the pan will be pretty darn full).
(You can also just mix the rice into the sauce and pour into the pan, but if you do so make sure you evenly distribute the rice on the bottom of the pan.) Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, add the remaining can of chicken broth into the pan and stir well, then bake for an additional 30 minutes until rice is cooked through.
Makes about 10-12 potluck servings.